Club Rides

Thinking of Joining? Come Ride with Us!

If you are interested in learning more about Atomic, getting out on the Saturday ride is a good way to start. We require prospective members to join us for at least 2 or 3 club rides to ensure we are a good fit for you.

If you’re not yet a member of Atomic, we ask that you keep the following in mind:

• Please remember that you are a guest of the club and must practice good riding etiquette. Also keep in mind the intended objectives of the ride, especially as it pertains to the proposed intensity
• Non-members must complete an “Atomic Racing Club Waiver”. Please complete this form in advance and bring it with you to your first club ride. Check out our Membership section for more details and a copy of the waiver you can download.
• Before coming out on your first ride please contact our membership director and let them know you will be dropping by. Again check out our Membership section for contact information.

Club Rides

Atomic Racing Club has a formal club ride every Saturday morning that runs year round, rain or shine. Depending upon the time of year, Atomic often has informal club rides on Sunday mornings and mid-week evenings, as well as mid-week spin classes. These informal rides are announced through our mailing list and are occasionally listed in the news section of the web-site.

The details on the formal club ride are:

Saturday Club Ride

• Location – Cornerstone coffee shop at 4th and Stephens (one block east of MacDonald).
• Time – Saturday morning @ 8:30 am (April – end of September; Winter from 9:00 am). We try to leave the coffee shop on time. If you are a non-member who is attending our club ride for the first time, please come earlier so that you can get a chance to meet other riders and drop off your waiver. Grabbing a coffee before the ride is a great idea too, and supports Cornerstone (great people!)
• Route – This is dependent upon the time of year. For the “off-season” months (usually September – February), the rides are typically in the flatlands of Richmond. Once we approach the race season, we start adding the North Shore into the mix. Occasionally, we’ll throw in some variety (e.g. Maple Ridge, Mount Baker, etc.) to keep everybody on their toes
• Intensity – This is also dependent upon the time of year. For the “off-season” months, the rides are typically low intensity intended to build an endurance base. As we approach the race season, the intensity will start to ramp up, often through the introduction of structured interval sessions mixed into the ride. Regardless of the time of year we ensure the first 60 to 90 minutes are at a reasonable pace. Rides occasionally split after that point depending on the training objectives of the members in attendance. Irregardless of the intensity, if you are just trying out the club we will make sure you aren’t dropped from the ride.

Wednesday night Hill Repeats

• running roughly from April to November, hill repeats are much shorter, structured rides designed to boost cardio and top-end climbing. WED rides all leave from SpeedTheory at 6:00 P.M. If the weather looks iffy and you’re unsure whether the ride is going to happen, give SpeedTheory a call at 604-714-0171 and they’ll let you know.

Riding etiquette

We expect that all riders adhere to the following rules to ensure their own safety as well as of the group at large.

• If possible use hand signals and/or voice to point out obstacles and hazards to riders following behind
• Depending upon the circumstances, riders will either be riding in a single or double pace-line. Riding three or four abreast is neither necessary nor safe
• Keep the speed consistent with the peloton when riding in a paceline. Upon pulling off, do a shoulder check to ensure that it is safe and don’t swing too far out into the road. When you pull through, do so at the same speed as the riders that have pulled through before you.
• Fenders and mud-flaps are mandatory for all club rides from the fall until the spring (typically mid-October to end of February). Fenders are encouraged in the shoulder season if the weather is poor. Don’t know where to buy fenders and/or can’t be bothered spending 2 hours trying to install them yourself? Our friends at SpeedTheory will be happy to help you out. If you are a member of Atomic, you’ll also be eligible for a discount
• Riders must abide by the rules of the road. Erratic/dangerous behaviour will not be tolerated, nor is disrespectful behaviour to motorists/pedestrians
• Bring a spare tube, pump and sufficient food and drink to stay fuelled for the ride.
• If you get a flat during the ride, your team mates will wait with you while you repair the flat and get back on the road.